ALJ216 - Feature Writing
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Online, Community Based Delivery (CBD)* Trimester 3: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: Jennifer Martin Trimester 3: Jennifer Martin |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | ALJ316, ALJ416 |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment: | Trimester 2: 1 x 2-hour on-campus seminar per week |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1 x-hour online practical experience (workshop) per week |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Note:*Community Based Delivery (CBD): only for students of the National Indigenous Knowledges, Education, Research and Innovation NIKERI Institute (located at the Waurn Ponds campus) | |
Content
In this unit, students are expected to combine journalism skills with academic techniques of research. The aim this trimester is to develop research and writing skills to a level where the student can produce feature articles suitable for publication. There is strong emphasis on finding original information from sources ranging from interviews to the Internet.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Evaluate the credibility and value of a wide range of themes and accompanying sources for story development and demonstrate the ability to look beyond the obvious in selecting topics to write about | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO2 | Conduct primary and secondary research to substantiate stories for publication | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO4: Critical thinking GLO5: Problem solving |
| ULO3 | Compose feature-style articles based on sound research, which are written and edited in accordance with industry standards | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO2: Communication |
| ULO4 | Work in a digital-news environment; and identify audience-appropriate platforms to distribute stories | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities GLO3: Digital literacy |
Assessment
| Assessment Description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Evaluate a feature story | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 4 |
| Assessment 2: Pitching and planning feature stories | 1000 words or equivalent | 25% | Week 6 |
| Assessment 3: Writing a feature story | 2000 words or equivalent | 50% | Week 11 |
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for ALJ216 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.